A former Royal Marine from Gravesend is preparing to walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End – backwards.
Richard Coulson, 35, is planning to break the Guinness World Record, held since 1990, of 26 days and seven hours by walking the length of the country in just 25 days.
He will be walking for 15 hours per day raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and veterans’ charity Help Our Wounded Royal Marines and Supporting Arms.
The challenge will be faced in two stages:
- Phase 1: To complete 1664km on a treadmill walking backwards (This phase is currently underway).
- Phase 2: To walk backwards from John O’Groats to Lands End.
Richard, who lost his mother Ann, 60, to cancer at the end of last year, said:
“It kept going through my head about how I could give something back to these charities and challenge myself mentally and physically”.
“Since my mother passed away from losing her fight with terminal cancer, and throughout that time, she received tremendous support from the Macmillan nurses who acted with true care, compassion and respect”.
“I personally served in the Royal Marines Commando’s for over 13 years and deployed on many operational tours, unfortunately and tragically a number of close colleagues and including my cousin Jordan Rossi lost their lives. I have carried injured comrades on the battlefield and I have also suffered with PTSD as a result. Help Our Wounded raises much needed monies to all service personnel injured to so they can recover in a manner which allows them to gain back their independence from life changing injuries with first class facilities. I think now you can understand and see why I am doing something both physically and mentally challenging to give BACK, so the charities can continue to help those who need their services”.
“I’m giving back by walking backwards!” The former Close Combat Section Commander in Afghanistan will start out from John O’Groats on 15 February 2014 and has already raised more than £1,600”.
Please visit the links below if you would like to make a donation to the nominated charities and to monitor Richards’s progress:
- Web – www.InReverse.co.uk
- Facebook – https://www.Facebook.com/pages/In-Reverse/198648143652587
- Twitter – @riccoulson (In Reverse)
- Justgiving – /Richard-Coulson-Back2Back (HOW RM & SA)
- Justgiving – /Richard-Coulson-InReverse (Macmillan)
The Managing Director will be in attendance to wish him well at the start of his journey from John O’Groats on 15 February 2014 and again upon completion of his challenge.
I’m sure we would all like to wish Richard the best of luck with his challenge.
